Horror narratives
One type of narrative offered by the Westworld park are suspensful storylines or adventures that include horror elements. The horror elements tend to be overt, and sometimes even deliberately over-the-top. Collectivelly, these storylines are horror narratives. Known horror narratives There isn't just a single horror narrative. From information provided during the first season by park employees and events in the park, it's clear Westworld had several different horror narratives in the past, and is still currently operating at least one or two horror storylines/missions. Dinner Party An old horror narrative from the park's previous decades, co-developed by Dr. Ford himself. It included cannibalism and a well-educated but sinister character, known as "The Professor", who liked to quote Shakespeare's plays. The host who played the Professor would go on to portray Dolores' father, Peter Abernathy. After a reveries update, Peter finds a modern day photograph misplaced in the park several decades ago. Deeply confused about the contents of the photo (depicting a modern city skyline and a woman in modern clothing), he begins to increasingly suffer from abnormal glitching. As a consequence of his malfunctions, he starts to haphazardly recall bits and pieces of the characters he used to play in the past. At one point, he recalls his lines and mannerisms as the Professor, and begins to verbally threaten Ford and his colleague Bernard Lowe, quoting Shakespeare's plays, in-character. Though the staff of the Behavior division are briefly terrified, Ford calmly explains the origins of Peter's bizarre behaviour and lines, and briefly talks about the narrative, with a slight hint of nostalgia. Peter The Original.jpg|A glitching Peter Abernathy recalling and recreating his role of the sinister "Professor" from Dinner Party ("The Original") 160819-westworld-s1-blast-06-1280.jpg|Dr. Ford listening to Peter's poetic and dark threats in a very nonchalant manner Robert ford the original ep.jpg|Ford almost indifferent at Abernathy's/The Professor's threats, remembering the Dinner Party narrative Masked cult narrative During the present day of the Westworld park, there appears to be some form of horror narrative involving ambushes on guests (and their host guides) by groups of masked and armed cultists. Members of the cult wear frightening masks with an animal motif, often that of horned animals. They tend to attack unsuspecting groups of people at night time, taking them by surprise out in the wilderness areas of Westworld. There are also non-masked members of this cult, such as the current iteration of Angela. She seems to portray the role of a cult member or accomplice, who poses as a victim of the cultists, only to lure unsuspecting travellers into an ambush. Later during the events of the first season, Teddy and the Man in Black are ambushed by the armed hosts playing the cultists during the daytime. Throughout the first season, there are some hints that the existence of this narrative might be loosely tied to that of the Wyatt narrative. Wyatt's followers also include masked, armed men (though with simpler masks of black cloth) and Wyatt is often spoken of by host characters as an extremely dangerous individual. Wyatt is described as a pillager and tyrant, and according to the hosts that "have heard" legends and rumours about the character, he (or she) believes themselves to be a living deity. Westworld-S1E3-Marti-and-Teddy-e1476777049593.jpg|Teddy and Marti defending their campsite, with attackers drawing near ("The Stray") Teddy surrounded The Stray.jpg|Teddy ambushed at night by armed cult members ("The Stray") WW.Angela.bound.host.jpg|Angela discovered as an apparent "victim" of the cultists ("Trace Decay") Well-tempered clavier teddy shot with arrow.png|Angela as a member of the cultists ("The Well-Tempered Clavier") Odyssey on Red River This "campaign"-style storyline, unsuccessfully pitched to Robert Ford by Lee Sizemore, would have included some highly lurid horror elements. To quote an avid-sounding Sizemore: Dr. Ford dismisses Sizemore's narrative as filled with pointless "cheap thrills". He then lectures Sizemore on his misunderstanding of what guests expect from the adventures provided by the park, in terms of personal self-discovery. Narrative lee and ford Chestnut.jpg|Lee unsuccessfully pitching the Odyssey on Red River narrative to a bemused Dr. Ford, who finds the over-the-top elements of the storyline trite and ridiculous ("Chestnut") Gold-miner-host-01.jpg|Lee (background) and the crazed, man-eating gold miner character he had developed for his Odyssey on Red River narrative See also * Narratives Category:Narratives